Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Well club soccer takes the cake the majority of the time but not in the case of the National Elite Prep Showcase where the teams come from all over the country, the best teams are matched up against each other, and the quality of play is second to none.

This is a true college showcase event where college coaches love to watch their future commits play against older and younger players, in different styles, different roles, against their club teammates, and with future teammates.

This years field of 34 teams pits the top teams from California, Florida, and of course, Texas. Ten of the Top 25 teams in the country will be playing this January in the first event of the 2016 high school season. Four of those teams are in the Top 10 including the #1 team in the country and NEPS co-host, Southlake Carroll.

So, in total, 15 of the nations top teams will be at NEPS in January and a slue of other top teams will show off their talent to college coaches and fans from all over.

The showcase committee is in the process of matching up the teams; those match-ups will be out this week and the schedule will be out the following week.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

The 15th Annual National Elite Prep Showcase will be here before you know it. The event is January 7-9, 2016. Teams from coast to coast come to the Lone Star State to compete in one of the top high school girls showcases in the country. With over 50 teams in the field the competition is world class.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

The National Elite Prep Showcase is arguably the top girls high school showcase in the country and each year it gets even better. This year was the events 14th year and the teams didn't disappoint. CLICK HERE to see Video Highlights.

The teams not only impress during the actual event but continue to impress throughout the year. "We started the event to prove that high school girls soccer can produce quality and is an environment where college coaches can recruit," said NEPS director and Nolan Catholic head coach, Jay Fitzgerald.

The event started with 4 teams in 2000 and now has over 40. The best teams come in from all over the country including California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and of course North and South Texas.

The first decade of the event it was called the Nolan Showcase and then Nolan Catholic teamed up with Southlake Carroll and changed the name to the National Elite Prep Showcase. Both the Southlake Carroll and Nolan Catholic women's soccer programs are nationally respected teams and find themselves contending for State Championships each and every year.

The 2015 NEPS field of teams included 14 of the Top teams in the country, 2 of which, were #1 at times throughout the year. Coppell from North Texas and Cathedral Catholic from Southern California both spent time atop the national polls. Coppell finished the year with an undefeated record, a UIL 6A State Championship, and as the nations #1 team.

Coppell head coach Chris Stricker and his Cowgirls have been competing in the event for the last decade. Stricker mentioned, "Not only do you get to play in the #1 tournament in the country, you get to truly see what you are made of and where your holes are as a team. You know if you get through NEPS unbeaten you could be in for a special year."

Other teams such as Bishop Lynch, Austin Vandergrift, Ursuline, American Heritage from Plantation Florida and host Nolan Catholic all advanced to their respective State Final Four Championships. Bishop Lynch won their first State Championship and American Heritage won the Florida 3A State Championship.

Eight of the Top 10 teams in the country are former and/or current NEPS participants.

Fitzgerald commented, "Our event gets the year started for all these teams, teams find their identity, and the competition is the best in the country."

Southlake Carroll head coach and NEPS Co-Director Matt Colvin said, "You get to witness some of the most exciting match-ups in country. It is the best of the best."

Two new teams accepted our invitation for the 2016 event. Montverde Academy from Florida is the nations #10 team currently and had their 19 game win streak broken in the last game of their season. Corona Del Mar from Newport Beach, California will be included as well.

NEPS16 is slated for Jan. 7-9, 2016 at the brand new Doskocil Stadium on the campus of Nolan Catholic High School, as well as Dragon Stadium, Keller ISD Stadium, and Gateway Park.

Allisyn Gardner and Carroll posted a 2-1 record at
National Elite Prep Showcase held earlier this month.

The National Elite Prep Showcase is an annual stop each
January for girls high school soccer teams that subscribe to the theory you
have to play the best to be the best.

The event, in its 12th year, brought top programs from
around the state and the country to venues across Fort Worth for three days of
high-caliber competition Jan. 8-10 as UIL regular-season play started.

“The purpose behind it was to let coaches — especially club
and college coaches — know that high school soccer around this country is
entertaining to watch, that it’s worth watching and recruiting at,” Fort Worth
Nolan Catholic coach Jay Fitzgerald said. “We just wanted to put a true college
showcase out there.”

Co-hosts Nolan and Southlake Carroll were among 36 teams
that braved cold weather to test themselves against some of the state and
nation’s elite.

“You get to see where your team is at,” Fitzgerald said.
“You get to find out what is your identity. Who are we? What type of players do
we have? Are they relishing this challenge? You’re playing teams that are Top
25 in the country or have won state championships. You get to identify who
those players are that you can go to battle with.”

Nolan went 2-1 in its three matches, losing 4-1 to San Diego
Cathedral Catholic, which is ranked No. 1 in the country by the National Soccer
Coaches Association of America.

“Some teams get hit in the mouth, and they get right back
up. Some teams, if they get hit in the mouth and they don’t get back up, at
least you learned something about your team,” Fitzgerald said. “Being able to
battle with the No. 1 team and it’s 2-1 with six minutes remaining and we have
a chance to win it, we know now what we have to do to win it. We know what
adjustments we have to make. These are games where you can really figure
yourself out.”

Nolan also impressed with a rally against Belton. Trailing
3-0 at halftime, the Vikings scored four goals in the first 17 minutes of the
second half to win 4-3.

“We figured out in that moment, that if we go down in a
championship, or in a playoff game, we know that we’ve done it. We’ve come back
from being 3-0 down. I look at that as being more valuable than anything,”
Fitzgerald added.

“You learn a lot, especially when you’re on the losing
side,” Carroll coach Matt Colvin said. “We gave up a goal early in a match and
the way we responded wasn’t as positive as I’d hoped. The adjustments I made didn’t
seem to work. The team learned a lot, and I learned a lot about the team at
that moment.”

Carroll has high expectations this season, and playing in
the showcase provided them an early measuring stick.

“That’s something that we don’t mind figuring out early in
the year, so that when we get in that situation again we’re able to handle it
different. With that type of talent coming in, you’re going to get those
situations and some high-pressure games. Although we’re never looking to lose,
it’s something we definitely learn from.”

Another local team that had a successful showcase was
Keller. The Indians, who were among the Star-Telegram teams to watch this
season, won all three matches, defeating McKinney Boyd, Grapevine and Arlington
Martin.

Another local team with high hopes this year, Trophy Club
Nelson, defeated Katy Seven Lakes and Klein and lost to Coppell.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

The 14th Annual National Elite Prep Showcase is complete. There were 56 games played between the 37 teams during the 3 day event covering 4 venues with 4 states represented if you count Texas at North and South Texas. See who scored today...Game #1 (10am at Nolan Catholic)